A Mountain Getaway

My dear sweet husband surprised me with a trip to the Smoky Mountains for our anniversary/Mother's Day/graduation. I had mentioned a while back that I missed the mountains so he rented us a cabin and arranged for his mom to keep Kaleb for a few days. This was our view from the bottom porch.

To be honest, the first and last days were exhausting. It takes a good 9 hours to drive there so we spent two days driving. When we pulled into Pigeon Forge it was like a southern Vegas. There were things all over the place. I'm surprised more wrecks don't happen. We headed to the cabin, which looked EXACTLY like the pictures, and decided to kinda chill and not really do anything big. We saw The Avengers and then rented Thor and still needed to see Captain America so that was our game plan. We went to Big Daddy's Pizza and then to Walgreens for supplies.
Day 1:
Big Daddy's Pizza
There were a couple of pizza places we were trying to pick from and we ended up at Big Daddy's Pizza. They make their own dough every day and all the ingredients are fresh. The waitress told us that they don't even have a freezer in their restaurant because everything is fresh. Now that's commitment! Eric got a chicken and cheese pizza with the Big Daddy's sauch (mixture of alfredo and marinara) and I got an alfredo pizza with spinach, artichokes, and sun dried tomatoes. It was really good but we couldn't finish it all so we took it back to the cabin and I ate some the next day.
Walgreens/Captain America
We needed to go to Walgreens to get some cereal, milk, ice cream, Captain America, and other necessities. It wasn't a long trip, but it was productive. We ate some Reese's ice cream bars, put on our jammies, and watched Captain America. I have to say that it was much better than Thor, but that Chris Hemsworth was more fun to watch. We had this movie on our Netflix list but it was taking forever since we had an issue with our other movie, so we went ahead and Redboxed it. Of course, when we got home, it was in our mailbox.
Day 2:
We got up relatively early (for me anyway), got ready, and went to the Old Mill, shopped around a bit, went to the Tanger outlets, took a nap, and saw a movie.
Old Mill
I'd heard that the Old Mill Restuarant was good so we decided to go there for lunch. It was only one light down from where we were staying so it didn't take too long to get there. The food was really good but the portions were HUGE. I had the chicken and dumplings, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Then we went walking around the Old Mill shops. They're old timey shops like creameries, candy stores, and toy shops. Eric got some ice cream but I was so full that I couldn't even think about ice cream. We went to the candy store, too, but didn't buy anything. Then we went to the toy store to look for something for Kaleb. We got him a bus and some sunglasses. He's pretty cool in them.
Tanger Outlets
I'm gonna be honest. I'm super shocked that I even lasted long enough to go to the outlet malls. My stamina isn't so great these days. But I was on a mission. I needed to find a dress for the wedding and thought that would be a good place to start. I started out at stores like Gap or Loft, but soon realized that those stores weren't going to have dresses that fit me in my current baby-growing state. I ended up at Motherhood Maternity and found a dress that I really like. Then I was on the hunt for shoes and accessories. I didn't get anything there but ended up finding something in Jackson. I'll post a pic of the whole outfit once it's together. We made a pit-stop at The Children's Place and got a dress for Adalay, a shirt for Kaleb, and some flip flops for him, too. By the time we were done I was about to pass out I was so tired. We went to the cabin and I napped for a couple of hours so I could make it the rest of the day.
Sieverville
That night, post-nap, we went to Sieverville to see a movie. Now that we had seen Thor and Captain America, we wanted to see The Avengers again. Before we ate we went to a Chinese/Japanese buffet. We thought the movie theater was going to be big since it was near Pigeon Forge, but it was pretty small and outdated. It kinda made me laugh. We saw the movie again and it made a little more sense. Now I'm ready for a Hulk movie. He's my favorite character. (but Thor's my favorite dude) After the movie we went back to the cabin and played pool and ping pong then went to bed.
Day 3:
This was a busy day, too. We didn't get up as early as the day before, but early enough to get a bunch done.
Apple Barn
We went to the Apple Barn for lunch and walked around the different stores they had. I had the fried catfish, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes. I think the fish was baked or maybe not fried in cornmeal because it tasted different. We went to the winery and Eric got his parents some apple strawberry wine for keeping Kaleb. I got some chocolate raspberry truffle ice cream (which was awesome!) but I didn't even eat half of it.

We didn't spend a lot of time at the Apple Barn in general, but it was fun to just walk around.
Putt Putt
Eric is a putt putt fanatic and we always want to play when we go somewhere. We always go to a movie on vacation, too. We're kinda chill folk. Anyway, he found a place with a volcano, airplane, ship, and caves that was pretty fun. We had to ride a train to the top of the golf course then work our way down. I actually got a hole in one on one hole. Woohoo!  We didn't really keep score because there were some holes that took us, like, 8 shots to get it in. I was pretty tired after that so we went back for some more chill time before the Dixie Stampede.
Dixie Stampede
The one thing that most people said to do was go to the Dixie Stampede. I've never been but I've been to somewhere like it on a band trip with Eric. You could pick the north or the south so we chose the south (duh!) to cheer for. When we got there we sat in a big room for the preshow entertainment. Of course it was bluegrassy music...you know, banjo, fiddle, etc. Eric's dad would have really liked it. When the show started they gave us all this food and no utensils of course. Like, they gave us a whole chicken. I didn't eat everything because that would be crazy. The show was entertaining with songs and games and horse races. It was close, but the south won!
Day 4:
Another day of driving. It was pretty uneventful except for a part of the interstate that was closed right outside of Birmingham. We had to take a 40 minute detour through stopped traffic to get home. It was so good to see Kaleb again, but I really enjoyed our trip.

Twenty Weeks

How Far Along: 20 Weeks
Size of Baby: Little Baby is about the same length as a banana now. I can defintely believe it.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm at +4 since my base weight.
Maternity Clothes: Yup
Movement: This week even more. I felt Little Baby kick from the outside this week but it was too faint for Eric to feel. Plus, you can really predict when they'll kick.
Gender: We know and a few others know, but until we decide on a name we're not going to tell the world. We have a first name but no middle name yet.
Sleep: Still can't sleep on my back, but I'm taking frequent naps now that it's summer.
What I Miss: My house was clean because we were showing it to a couple of people but now it's a mess because we just got back from a trip and we have boxes around the house. I miss my clean house.
Cravings: Nothing really this week. Oh wait! Miso soup
Symptoms: Right on track with the emotional break downs and hunger. I can't eat very much because Little Baby is taking up room, but I can eat small portions often.
Best Moment This Week: It's a toss up. Eric and I went to the mountains this week and had a super good time. But then again, seeing Kaleb when we got back was pretty good too. In the three days we were gone he grew up! How is that possible?
What I'm Looking Forward To: Hopefully we'll find a new house to live in. Plus, we're going to California for Eric's brother's wedding.

The Next Three Weeks at a Glance

Crazy things are happening these days. Busy, crazy things. This week Eric and I will go on a little trip to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary. Really? FIVE years? Of course, we've actually been together 10 years but dated 5 of them. Anyway, I'm really excited about spending some time together away from everything. Then, Saturday is a baby shower for one of my best friends. She's finally having a girl after two boys so she needs to get stocked up on pink. Amelia, my mom, and I are working together a menu of pink foods from pink popcorn to cheesecake filled strawberries. All courtesy of Pinterest of course. The week after that Eric's brother gets married! Oh, did I mention it's in California? Yep, Eric and I will be heading west to celebrate with his family. That's also the week Eric starts his classes at Southern. He's been reading up on his first textbook like a big ol' nerd. :) Then, the week after that is VBS. I'm in charge of the attendance and stuff for the preschool department. From what I understand that might be a very hectic job, but I'm all about getting some organization going on. Add to the mix some things that God is doing in our lives and we're looking at a busy month. I'm thankful for it though because I was just telling Eric that I was going to be so bored this summer since I didn't have classes anymore and therefore, no homework. WOOHOO! I'm also planning how I'm going to spend the money my very generous parents gave me for graduating. So far I'm getting a pedicure, a new dress, and some fabric so I can finally cover the nasty cushions on our kitchen chairs. Hopefully I'll remember to do a post on what I actually do with the money. So yeah, that's our next three weeks.

Nineteen Weeks

How Far Along: 19 Weeks
Size of Baby: Little Baby is about the same length as a large heirloom tomato. According to BabyCenter, Little Baby should be 7.5 oz, but he/she actually weighs about 9 oz.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Woo hoo! I'm at +3 from my original weight.
Maternity Clothes: Yup
Movement: Little bit more everyday
Gender: No one will know until Delivery Day. But, if it's a girl I like the names Ava Kate and Emma Claire. If it's a boy I like Peyton or Ian Massey. I think we've decided that if it's a boy the middle name will be Massey since that's my maiden name. Of course, these names could change a million times between now and Delivery Day.
Sleep: I'm at the point where I can't sleep on my back anymore unless I want to wake up with a sleeping arm.
What I Miss: Being able to watch what I want to watch. We're in full-on summer mode so during Kaleb hours we're watching cartoons or Twenty Trucks.
Cravings: Ummm I'm good. I pretty much want whatever anyone mentions.
Symptoms: Emotional, pregnesia, and clumsinesss.
Best Moment This Week: The end of school! Bring on the sleep!
What I'm Looking Forward To: This week we're taking a trip to the mountains and I'm super excited!

Eighteen Weeks

How Far Along: 18 Weeks
Size of Baby: Little Baby is about the same length as a bell pepper and weighs about 9 oz.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Woo hoo! I'm at +3 from my original weight.
Maternity Clothes: Absolutely
Movement: I've felt Little Baby moving around a little bit, but I can definitely tell when he or she moves a lot, like when I get a foot in my ribs.
Gender: It's a....surprise!
Sleep: Yes please.
What I Miss: This week has been sorta stressful so I've missed the occasional adult beverage.
Cravings: I got my cheese sticks so I'm good. I'll take some more water though. And some Thor.
Symptoms: Still hungry and emotional.
Best Moment This Week: Seeing Little Baby at the Dr's appointment. He or she was wiggling all over the place and changed position 3 times while the lady was sonograming (?) me.
What I'm Looking Forward To: We're showing our house Saturday so I'm hoping things will work out for us.

Seventeen Weeks

How Far Along: 17 Weeks
Size of Baby: Little Baby weighs about the same as a turnip according to BabyCenter.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Woo hoo! I'm at +1.
Maternity Clothes: Ummm most definitely.
Movement: Every so often I feel Little Baby moving around.
Gender: I've thought Little Baby was a girl this whole time, but recently I've been having dreams that it was a boy. Soooo who knows?
Sleep: Still pretty sleepy but I've been able to sleep so I'm thankful for that.
What I Miss: Soft cheeses - feta, queso, etc.
Cravings: I've been wanting cheese sticks all week. I think tomorrow's the day. Cheesesticks and a chocolate shake.
Symptoms: No new symptoms. Emotional and hungry.
Best Moment This Week: Starting a new book. I love starting books.
What I'm Looking Forward To: It's the season finale of "Vampire Diaries" so I'm really looking forward to Elena finally (hopefully) kissing Stefan again.

Something A Little Different

On the recommendation of Amelia, I watched The Business of Being Born, a documentary on home births vs. hospital births. I have to say that I thought it was super biased and a little ridiculous in its stats and interviews, but it did get me thinking about the kind of birth I'd like to have with Little Baby...and I guess that's the point. I know I don't want a C-section. It's not something I've ever wanted. Some may say it's easier, but it's a major surgery and I really don't want to be strapped down and not even get to hold my baby. (Not that I got to hold Kaleb for the first 7 hours of his life) I mean, if there's an emergency obviously I'll have a C-section, but I'd like to avoid it if possible. So, now that I've narrowed it to actually HAVING the baby, I'd like to do some things differently than I did with Kaleb. I still want to be in a hospital and I'd still like an epidural. I don't see those two things changing. But I'd like to NOT be induced this time. It just took forever for things to get rolling with Kaleb. There were some extenuating circumstances (low fluid levels, gestational diabetes) that made inducing the best option, but I'd rather not need the pitocin if possible. Also, even though I want an epidural, I don't want to get it as soon as I did the first time. Basically the nurse broke my water and the epidural man was in there within the next 10 minutes. I didn't feel any contractions. That made pushing extremely difficult. I had no idea where I was pushing and, consequently, it took 2 1/2 hours and a vacuum assist to get Kaleb out. Not to mention the recovery was awful. I think if I could feel more I would know where and when to push and it wouldn't have taken so long. Finally, I want to be able to walk around/move around more this time. Laying in the hospital bed the whole time was pretty boring. One good point the movie made was that laying down to push is very ineffective. That position fights gravity and closes the pelvis. I don't know if they'll let me walk and move around once I do decide to get an epidural, but maybe before. Of course, all this is planning and none of it may come to fruition. I may end up getting to the hospital and progressing rapidly and not even getting the opportunity for an epidural. OR it may take forever. OR the baby may be breached. Who knows? But that's my amended baby plan for this go around.

Chore Chart Revamp

I think Kaleb's at the age now where he can do some basic chores. Little dude loves to clean up and help us anyway, so we might as well make it official. Here's the problem. I don't like any of the chore charts I've seen. I think Mommy and Daddy should also be included on the chore chart. Maybe not with a bunch of chores on it since we do most of them anyway, but I think it will help Kaleb to see that everyone around the house chips in to make things run smoothly. Also, I think that instead of a word chore chart it should include pictures and words. I think I'd take a picture of each person in the family and put the name beneath it. That way it'll help the kids learn what their names look like. Same with the chores. Put a picture of the actual object (dishwasher, trucks, dirty clothes) and put the name under it. I might need to get with Amelia or Haley to help me with this project. One thing I need to decide is whether or not to use a magnetic board or eraser board for this, how many chores should be allotted, should the chores change daily or stay the same, and what about allowance? I'm going to consider this a summer project. Hopefully I'll be able to take pictures of my progress.